


automated response

by Irrwisch



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Hurt Husk, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, POV Alastor, Pining, Temporary Character Death, Toxic Relationship, Unhealthy Relationships, Unrequited Love, character injury, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:27:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22887790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irrwisch/pseuds/Irrwisch
Summary: Husk was in love with him.And he rejected him at every possibility.He didn’t know why he did this. Husk was his friend, his loyal companion. He gained nothing from this. It would be better if he just spoke to Husk about this, stopping this all together but – for some reason, he couldn’t. Every reaction to Husk’s attempts came automatically and before he even realised what he’d done.[EDIT: I forgot the summary like the genius that I am.]
Relationships: Alastor & Charlie Magne, Alastor & Husk (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor/Husk (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 87





	automated response

Alastor was a cruel and sadistic man. He knew that. He’s never been anything different. They’d call him a homicidal maniac and they wouldn’t be wrong. Hurting people was one of the things he did best. However, this pain never used to be of the emotional kind. He had no time for mind games. Emotional pain could take years to manifest and that was just too long to wait for. No, immediate, physical pain was better. He’d get to see the effects right away and it’d be over with.

Of course, perception in Hell changed quite a bit. For one, time was not limited. On the second, there was absolutely no need to hide. He could rip a man apart in the middle of the street and eat his flesh right then and there, and no one would bat an eye. He still preferred physical pain over mental anguish however. Old habits die hard, after all, and he’s never been a man of change.

Charlie was intriguing to be sure. Her plan was absolutely ridiculous and would never work. Redemption? They were all in Hell for a reason. Chances were slim that one of these fools actually managed to change so much that Heaven would open up for them. How would it even happen? Would an Angel come down from Heaven and take them? It was absolutely ludicrous. He chuckled to himself. But, her plan had one upside to it: he’d get to see a lot of sinners fail. It was promising to be fun; and if it turned out not to be, well – he could always just leave.

Without a doubt, seeing Charlie lose her hope would be the most worthwhile. She’d lose bit after bit each time a demon failed to actually master redemption. He was looking forward to spending more time with her.

“Hey, Al, wanna have a drink with me?”  
“No thank you Husker! I have a meeting with Charlie to attend!”

He didn’t turn to look at his friend. What was the point of seeing the dejected expression yet again? It was always the same.

Husk was in love with him.

Now, he never came and said it outright, but Alastor was no fool. People had tried to be affectionate with him in the past and they have looked and acted quite the same. Husk would try to get closer and he would utterly reject him. When sitting on the couch, Husk would inch closer every few seconds and right before he was next to him, Alastor would stand up to go somewhere else. When he was sitting at the bar to sip his whiskey, Husk’s claws would move slowly towards his hand. He placed it on the countertop deliberately so Husk would stage yet another attempt. And again, right before he reached his goal, Alastor would withdraw his hand.

He didn’t know why he did this. Husk was his friend, his loyal companion. He gained nothing from this. It would be better if he just spoke to Husk about this, stopping this all together but – for some reason, he couldn’t. Every reaction to Husk’s attempts came automatically and before he even realised what he’d done.

He couldn’t reject his friend. If he did, it’d break Husk. No, that wasn’t right.

Husk had come into Hell already broken, poorly held together as it was. Rejection would utterly smash the cat. Alastor had no idea why Husk chose to fall in love with him of all people. He should’ve chosen the first bartender that allowed him to sit on his tab.

But Husk chose him. Devil only know why.

“Hey, Al, happy hour in the pub just started, do you –“

“Great news! I hope you have fun there!”

He was a cruel and sadistic man, but breaking Husk’s heart quite like this didn’t give him the satisfaction it should have.

Why didn’t Husk just give up? He was clearly not getting anywhere, so why not give up? But to be fair, he didn’t make it easy on him. Anytime he saw Angel Dust sitting at the bar to talk to Husk, he would intervene and join them. He’d have no business at the bar, no need for a drink, and he’d still interrupt them. He didn’t know why. He just knew that Husk would hyper-focus onto him and Angel Dust would be left behind. Alastor didn’t know why he couldn’t let Husk have this, he truly didn’t.

Husk was his cat; and as such, nobody else was allowed to interact with him.

Husk was sweeping the bar while he and Charlie had a conversation in the same hall. She excitedly told him about her plans and how she envisioned everything to work and he decided to humour her. While he absolutely couldn’t wait for it all to fail, he encouraged her and even pitched in some ideas of his own. He already offered to broadcast across Hell, and Charlie agreed immediately. She had tasked Vaggie to write a message post-haste. To be honest, her enthusiasm was infectious. Much like her, he couldn’t await the first residents of this establishment. Of course, it was for quite the different reason, but it was excitement nonetheless.

“I’m quite fascinated by you, little princess.” He cocked his head and smiled widely at her. He noticed that Husk had stopped sweeping for a split second. Hm. Curious.

“Oh, ehm, thank you! I’m glad you like, well, me! You are quite different from what I expected, I must say.”

He simply nodded his head. Sure enough, the sinners described him as a force of nature and while they weren’t wrong, he wasn’t a brute. He quite valued civil talks.

“O-oh! Husk, wait, I need to talk to you!”

Husk had finished the sweeping, then. The cat stopped and looked over to them; and Alastor noted that he looked tired.

“Now, you won’t dismiss our princess, won’t you?”

Husk clenched his jaw, balled his fist and started walking again without a word. Now, this simply could not stand.

“Husker.”

Husk stopped.

He always stopped. Charlie ran up to him to discuss whatever she will.

He was cruel and sadistic, treating Husk like this. But he couldn’t stop.

Charlie was weeping. She was sitting on the sidewalk they’ve been walking on and crying her eyes out. Under her lay Husk, dead with a hole in his chest. Now, of course you couldn’t escape Hell by simply dying; only the weapon of an Angel would do the permanent trick.

But sinners could still suffer fatal wounds and a hole in the chest surely counted towards that. They had just been walking; him, Charlie and Husk. Husk had come along because Alastor had asked and also to carry any eventual bags they might acquire.

Gang Wars were quite frequent everywhere in Hell and there was no common decency to keep them in a confined space. But someone shooting at Charlie must have been a mistake. The only question was – why did Husk jump in? Recovering from such a wound was painful and took at least a week, depending on the fatality of the wound.

It also made Alastor angry. Husk wasn’t allowed to die. He wasn’t, but he did anyway and now someone had to pay. So, he ripped the offending sinner in half. Not enough carnage, but it would have to do. He stepped up to Charlie and Husk; and picked the latter up. Huh. If Husk were conscious right now, he’d quite enjoy that. Too bad he’d never know.

“Charlie”, he said to get her to focus. “Let us return to the Hotel and resume shopping tomorrow.”

He could see in her face that shopping was the last thing on her mind but he didn’t care. He simply teleported them back to the Hotel and dumped Husk onto his bed. It was eerie, seeing his friend ragdoll like this. Charlie was snivelling next to him.

“I’m going to go out for a bit.”

He didn’t wait for her approval, and Husk would not awaken for quite some time.

He didn’t understand. He just didn’t understand and he needed to clear his head.

Murder has always been his first choice.

Husk woke after roughly two weeks.

“Welcome back, Husker! I see not even death could stop you, dear friend.”

It was rude, greeting him like that when he just came back to life, but it was another automated response.

Husk blinked lazily at him. He needed a moment to focus his gaze and then he tried to sit up. Alastor didn’t stop him even though he should.

“You’re here”, Husk just said after he painfully managed to sit up. Ah. There it was. The look on his face, the one he always had in Alastor’s presence.

“Mhm”, he simply replied. Husk’s breathing was ragged and he should really lie back down. Well. Husk was back awake, no point in staying any longer.

“Will you stay?”

“I suppose I should take my leave.”

Two things said at the same time and Alastor stopped for a second. He could feel the hope in Husk’s chest swell.

And then he left.


End file.
